Protect your home and furniture this summer with awnings
Protect your home and furniture this summer with awnings
Shade that protects both your home and your family
New Zealand summers are made for outdoor living, but the strong sun can take a toll on more than just your skin. Prolonged exposure to UV rays can cause fading and damage to indoor furnishings, flooring, and outdoor furniture, while also making decks and patios uncomfortably hot. An awning offers a simple yet stylish way to create shade, reduce heat, and protect the things you love both inside and outside your home. With the right awning in place, you can enjoy a cooler, more comfortable summer while keeping your home and furniture looking their best.
In this article, we explore how awnings can protect your family, preserve your home and furniture and create a cooler, more enjoyable space for summer living.
What we'll cover:
Shield your family from harsh UV rays
Awnings provide powerful UPF protection so you can enjoy the outdoors safely in the summer sun.
Preserve your indoor furniture and flooring
Stop sunlight from fading and damaging your flooring, artwork and décor by shading your windows.
Protect your outdoor furniture and finishes
Keep your deck, patio and outdoor furniture looking fresh and protected from the elements.
Keep your deck or patio cooler
Create a shaded retreat that reduces heat build-up and makes outdoor living more comfortable.
Flexible comfort with retractable options
Adjust your awning to suit the weather with manual, motorised or sensor-based control.
FAQs
Helpful answers to common questions about choosing and using awnings.
Preserve your indoor furniture and flooring
Prevent fading and protect the look of your interiors
When sunlight enters your home, it brings warmth and brightness but it also has the potential to cause lasting damage. Prolonged exposure to UV light is one of the main reasons why timber floors fade, fabrics lose their colour, and artwork or photographs begin to look dull. Over time, this invisible damage can significantly reduce the life and value of your interiors
That is where awnings make a real difference. By shading your windows at the strongest times of day, they act as a protective barrier that stops harmful rays before they enter your home. This means you can still enjoy natural light while keeping your furnishings safe and your living spaces comfortable.
How awnings protect your interiors
Prevent fading of timber and flooring
UV rays can bleach natural materials like wood, making flooring and furniture look patchy or washed out. Awnings reduce direct sunlight, helping preserve the original colour and finish.
Protect artwork and fabrics
Paintings, photos, curtains and soft furnishings are particularly sensitive to light. Awnings minimise exposure, so your décor retains its vibrancy for longer.
Reduce glare on screens and surfaces
Harsh sunlight can cause uncomfortable glare on TVs, laptops, or even polished tabletops. Awnings cut this down, making your space more functional.
Maintain a cooler indoor environment
By shading your windows, awnings stop much of the heat before it enters. This not only protects your furniture but also makes it easier to keep rooms cool and comfortable in summer.
Looking after your interiors is about more than appearance. It also protects the value of your flooring, furniture, and décor, which can be costly to replace. Installing an awning is a proactive step that safeguards your investment while making everyday living more comfortable. With Waikato Shutters & Blinds, you can trust that your awning is designed for New Zealand’s climate, giving you peace of mind that your home will stay cooler, brighter and protected for many summers to come.
Protect your outdoor furniture and finishes
Keep your deck, patio and furniture looking its best
Protecting your interiors from the sun is important, but it is your outdoor spaces that take the hardest hit. Furniture, decking, and patio finishes are constantly exposed to UV rays and heat, with no protection from walls or curtains to soften the impact. Cushions can quickly fade, timber may dry out and crack, and even weather-resistant materials begin to show signs of ageing faster than expected.
An awning provides the barrier these areas need. By creating shade over your deck or patio, it reduces direct exposure to sunlight, helping fabrics keep their colour, timber hold its strength, and surfaces remain in good condition. This protection means your outdoor space looks fresher for longer, and you avoid the expense of replacing or repairing items that have been damaged by the sun.
How awnings help protect outdoors
Fading fabrics
Outdoor cushions and textiles are especially prone to bleaching from UV rays. Awnings create shade that helps preserve their colour.
Deck and timber protection
Direct sun exposure can cause timber decks and outdoor furniture to dry, crack, or warp. Shading reduces stress on these natural materials.
Surface care
Painted or coated surfaces on patios and furniture last longer when shielded from constant sunlight.
With the right awning in place, you can relax outdoors knowing your furniture and finishes are shielded from the harshest summer conditions.
Keep your deck or patio cooler
Reduce heat build-up for a cooler, more usable space
Summer is meant for enjoying the outdoors, but sitting on a deck or patio that has been baking in the sun can quickly become uncomfortable. Heat builds up on hard surfaces and radiates back into the space, making it difficult to relax or entertain. An awning creates a shaded retreat that blocks direct sunlight, helping to keep the area beneath noticeably cooler.
The benefit goes beyond comfort outdoors. By shading your windows and doors, an awning reduces the amount of heat that enters your home. This can help prevent living areas from overheating during the hottest part of the day, making them more pleasant to spend time in without relying heavily on cooling systems.
Whether you are hosting a summer barbecue, enjoying a quiet afternoon, or simply looking for a cooler spot to unwind, an awning helps you make the most of your deck or patio throughout the season.
Flexible comfort with retractable options
Reduce heat build-up for a cooler, more usable space
Every summer day is different, and your outdoor space should be able to adapt. Retractable awnings give you the freedom to choose between full shade, partial cover, or open sky depending on the weather and how you want to use your space. On hot afternoons, extend the awning fully for maximum shade. When the sun softens in the evening, retract it to enjoy the open sky and cooler air.
For added convenience, modern awnings can be fitted with motorisation and weather sensors. With the touch of a button, or even voice or app control, you can extend or retract your awning instantly. Sun sensors can automatically create shade when the rays are strong, while wind sensors retract the awning if gusts pick up, keeping it safe and protected.
This flexibility means your deck or patio is always ready to use, no matter what the summer brings. Whether you want protection from the midday sun or an open view of the evening sky, a retractable awning makes it effortless.
Conclusion
Awnings are one of the simplest ways to protect both your home and your lifestyle during the summer months. They shield your family from harmful UV rays, preserve the colour and condition of your flooring and furniture, and keep your outdoor areas cooler and more inviting. With the flexibility of retractable options and the convenience of modern automation, an awning is an investment that provides comfort, style, and peace of mind for years to come.
At Waikato Shutters & Blinds, we design our awnings specifically for New Zealand conditions, using durable, marine-grade materials built to last. If you are ready to safeguard your home and create a cooler, more comfortable outdoor space this summer,
contact our team today for a free measure and quote.
FAQs
Do awnings really block UV rays?
Yes. Our awnings are crafted with high-quality fabrics that provide UPF 50+ protection, blocking up to 98% of harmful UV rays. This makes them highly effective at protecting both your family and your furnishings from sun damage.
Will an awning help protect my furniture?
Absolutely. By shading your windows and outdoor areas, an awning prevents sunlight from fading indoor flooring, artwork, and furniture, while also protecting outdoor pieces from cracking or discolouration.
Can an awning make my home cooler?
Yes. By stopping direct sunlight from hitting your windows and patio, an awning helps reduce heat build-up both outdoors and indoors. This creates a more comfortable environment and can lessen reliance on cooling systems in summer.
Are awnings available in different styles and sizes?
They are. At Waikato Shutters & Blinds, we offer a wide range of options including folding arm and cassette awnings. Each one can be customised in size, fabric, and frame finish to suit your home and lifestyle.
Can I automate my awning?
Yes. Motorisation and weather sensors are available for added convenience. With the touch of a button or app control, you can extend or retract your awning instantly, while sensors can automatically adjust it based on the sun or wind conditions.
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